The Things No One Needs to Know
by Ninja-band-aid
Summary: Haku and Zabuza know that some things are between the two of them.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Part of a two-shot. Just a little V-day ode to my favorite yaoi pairing.

Playlist:

"Crazy Faith" – Alison Krauss

"You're the One" – Tracy Chapman

Reviews fill me with

Unimaginable joy

And motivation

† † †

Nobody needed to know certain things about Haku. Nobody had to be aware of his thoughts, his hopes… Nobody needed to hear of the things he dreamt.

Though he considered himself the absolute possession of his one and only- his Zabuza- there were things he told not even him. Though he would never hesitate to lay bare his soul at the word of the man, Haku would never volunteer. And Zabuza never asked. He appreciated silence, and Haku appreciated such a quality in return.

Nobody needed to know that his head filled with words. A consciousness stream cool and clear as snowmelt. The little sweet comments he kept to himself, like how he admired his Zabuza.

'_He moves like a sunbolt. Still and beautiful as it strikes with such power. Magnificent enough to burn even those at a distance.'_

Haku was quite the poet. Nobody needed to know that.

They boy prayed sometimes. Alone, in the quiet darkness, long after his companion had fallen into his sleep. Haku always kept watch when he wished for a prayer.

The pair had once ventured upon a supposedly haunted wood. Zabuza had scoffed at the rumors, as he scoffed at all mysticism.

But Haku was at no such ease. A wood haunted, and by the spirit of a youth slain by his lover, no less? It rang too true, too close to home. Though Haku never once doubted the man he loved… nobody needed to know that even the most devoted of tools had his occasional doubts.

When they stayed in a temple ("It's empty, boy. Nothing but good shelter now," Zabuza had grunted, effectively shutting down Haku's soft protests) the young nin's anxiety only increased. Zabuza agreed to Haku's suggestion of the younger taking first watch without prying. Nobody had to know how grateful Haku was for his master's discretion

Nobody had to see him as he crept through the open halls of the temple, light steps never even stirring swirled clouds in the dust of long year. He was small, moving slowly through vault-roofed rooms. Faded faces watched his every move from the wall hangings worn thin with age, and a dragon carving leered at his tentative progress, bearing teeth paneled with cracking and peeling gold leaf.

He stopped in the central chamber. The wide box of a room seemed to make him all the more fragile by comparison.

Nobody needed to watch the boy sink to his knees before the great wood alter, or see the way his green coat puddle around him, trailing in the dust, or look at the drawstrings of his bao falling into his face as he bent his head.

Haku wore an expression of total concentration and devotion- much the same as the look he wore when being trained by Zabuza. His eyes closed and his soft lips mouthed silently in prayer.

'_Please let him keep me. Please let him never harm me. Please let him never rid himself of me._

_Please let him love me.'_

Nobody needed to know that his fists had balled tight to keep in check his desire to weep.

'_Thank you for letting him have found me.'_

In spite of emotional exhaustion, Haku did not sleep until Zabuza naturally woke and went to take over the watch.

The boy slept at once, grateful for the chance at oblivion.

Nobody needed to know that, though he slept alone and untouched, his dreams danced with kisses and caresses.

His companion- _his lover_- against him, beside him, overtop of him. The heat of his flesh against Haku's skin and the low richness of his scent filling Haku's senses.

Nobody needed to know that he smiled in his sleep.

Some things were personal. Some things were never intended to be known by anyone.

Haku was quietly in love. And this was a thing that nobody need to know.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Part two! I love these two. I love them so much. *huggles homemade foamcore Zabuza sword*

Playlist:

"Run 2 U" – Jewel

"I will follow you into the dark" – Death Cab for Cutie

"More Love" – Dixie Chicks

Reviews fill me with

Unimaginable joy

And motivation

† † †

Nobody needed to know certain things about Zabuza. Nobody needed to know his thoughts, his hopes, what he dreamt.

Nobody needed to know what he knew of them. Or of his own depths.

Though he shared as much as he was able with the boy with whom he shared every aspect of his life anyway, some things he could not bare to bring to light.

Zabuza had not been raised to verbalize or to be emotive. He had not led a life with required such things. A ninja needed to be silent and cold. Expressiveness was difficult for him, to say the very least. He had no words for Haku – how was he to tell him what he thought?

Nobody needed to know that the grunts and barked orders during training where the closest he knew to compliments.

"Move it, boy!" _'You're so fast - show it.'_

"Work harder, lazy!" _'I know you can do this.'_

"Watch your ass or you'll get killed!" '_Please be careful. I can't loose you.'_

Nobody needed to know just how much he really knew about his youthful charge.

Nobody needed to hear Zabuza rattle off favorite foods, flowers, colors, techniques, weapons- all things he knew of Haku.

But he did know them.

And he knew other things. He knew that Haku was a very spiritual person. He knew that, sometimes, when something was bothering the teenager, Haku would sneak away to some quiet place and lower to his knees, where he would pray in near-silence.

Zabuza had discovered this habit one sleepless night, when he had noticed his student get up and wander away from the campsite. He had followed with the intention of teaching the boy a lesson in letting down his guard.

But when the child began to pray, his master was given pause. How was he to interrupt a child begging the gods to protect his master?

"Please take care of him," the nine-year-old Haku asked, "Please keep him safe. I want him to have his revenge, so that he can be happy. But if he gets hurt and I can't make it better…" He had trailed off into whimpers.

The stoic demon of the mists was touched.

Nobody needed to know that every time Haku went to pray, Zabuza was never far behind.

Even years later, when Haku was a teenager, Zabuza never really let him be alone. A night spent in an abandoned temple led to another night of prayer.

Nobody needed to know that, sometimes, when Haku assumed he was being silent, words escaped regardless.

Nobody needed to know just how much Zabuza wanted to go to his weapon. Nobody needed to know how strong raged the desire to sweep the boy into his powerful arms, hold him tight, and promise,

"I will always keep you. I will never hurt you. I would never get rid of you.

"I love you.

"I'm so glad _we_ found _eachother_."

Nobody needed to know the oaths and dedications which would spill from his lips, had he the courage to do so.

The man snuck back to bed as his ward dried his eyes and returned.

Zabuza lay awake for the hour it would take not to arouse suspicion.

Nobody needed to know that he watched Haku as he slept, stroking his lovely long hair and reading the name on his lips.

Nobody needed to know that he imagined those same dreams.

Some things were personal. Some things were never meant to be known by anyone.

But some things…

"Z-Zabuza?" asked a quiet voice. Haku was rousing from sleep, dark eyes blinking up, widening with surprise to see the man looming above him.

"Haku," Zabuza grunted, his voice all too harsh and guttural even to his own ears.

Concerned, the boy sat up, looking around.

"Is something wrong, sir?" he asked sleepily, "Did I fall asleep too s-"

His words were killed by a pair of lips. Zabuza had yanked down his wrappings and kissed Haku full on the mouth. He simply could not stand it a moment longer.

Haku pulled back, shocked. "Sir!" he exclaimed.

"Haku," Zabuza quieted the lovely boy again, "I love you." And again he kissed him to seal the promise of those words.

Melting like snow, Haku kissed back.

Nobody needed to know what they did that night. How the two ninjas held one another, touching and whispering things that had gone too long unsaid.

Some things were personal. Some things were never intended to be known by anyone. Some things were only ever meant to be shared with one other person.

Zabuza and Haku were quietly in love. And as long as they knew this thing, nobody else mattered.


End file.
